KDSN RADIO News
Iowa’s ‘Out of the Darkness’ walks for suicide prevention start this weekend
Four Iowa communities are hosting fundraising walks this month that are designed to support efforts to prevent suicide.
Dan Lehmann, of Le Mars, says he’ll be taking part in the Sioux City walk this Saturday in remembrance of his son, who took his own life. The events are called Out of the Darkness Walks.
“This weekend, I had a total stranger come up and say, ‘I’ll join you in that walk. Here’s $20 towards the fundraising,'” Lehmann says. “I’d never met him. I knew of his kid because his kid went to the same school as mine. He goes, ‘Can I be on your team?’ and I said, ‘Absolutely, you can be on my team that walks.'”
More than 49,000 Americans died by suicide in 2023, and more than half used a firearm. The walks are being organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Lehmann is hoping to have a good showing from Le Mars at this weekend’s event.
“My son that passed away, his former employer will have several of his former coworkers come and join,” he says, “so I’m hoping to have 20 or 30 people come.”
The Out of the Darkness Walks are being held in some 300 communities over the next few weeks. In addition to Sioux City, Manning is also hosting a walk on Saturday, with another in Ankeny on Sunday, and the Quad Cities’ walk is in Bettendorf on September 27th.
(By Dave Grosenheider, KLEM, Le Mars)
